"Big moment, big play in the game and gave us a lot of momentum & confidence again. He’s done all the little things you could ask for as far as the way we want to play defensively & making players around him better, it’s great to see him rewarded."

– Ryan McDonagh on Mats Zuccarello's first goal again NJD

]]>New York RangersDrew a Penaltyhttp://www.blueshirtsbrotherhood.com/showthread.php?19799-RS-(-30)-Rangers-vs-Dallas-Stars-King-Takes-Bishop2017-2018 NYR Postseason Fate (Personal Opinion)http://www.blueshirtsbrotherhood.com/showthread.php?19798-2017-2018-NYR-Postseason-Fate-(Personal-Opinion)&goto=newpost
Mon, 11 Dec 2017 02:47:15 GMT2016-2017 NYR Postseason Fate (Personal Opinion)
Since the Rangers have played 29 games, we've got some information on what kind of season they are going to have. I'm interested in your opinion of how the 2017-2018 postseason will go, how likely each of the following scenarios are:

You can post multiple times in this thread, as your opinion changes, but wait at least 1 week between posts. That way, you are not reacting to just a good game or two, or a bad game or two.
]]>New York Rangersfletchhttp://www.blueshirtsbrotherhood.com/showthread.php?19798-2017-2018-NYR-Postseason-Fate-(Personal-Opinion)Quick Hits: Rangers Have a First-Rate Fourth Linehttp://www.blueshirtsbrotherhood.com/showthread.php?19794-Quick-Hits-Rangers-Have-a-First-Rate-Fourth-Line&goto=newpost
Sun, 10 Dec 2017 14:57:50 GMT*Quickie Hits*
With three goals in his last three games and six in his last eight, who on the Rangers is hotter than Jesper Fast right now? We...Quickie Hits

With three goals in his last three games and six in his last eight, who on the Rangers is hotter than Jesper Fast right now? We shouldn't expect this pace to continue for long, but there's no reason to expect his game-to-game work ethic to subside any time soon.

—

Carey-ing the Fourth Line

Speaking of the fourth line, can we take a minute to appreciate the groove Paul Carey—training camp to main roster surprise of 2017—has carved for himself playing alongside Boo Nieves and Jesper Fast? Since the start of December, the trio have combined for 11 points across four games. Anytime a team can get that kind of production out of their fourth line, something is going really right.

—

Shit-on-kirk

So, after the backlash that was directed at Washington Capitals’ head coach Barry Trotz after his comments regarding Kevin Shattenkirk’s play with the Caps last Spring, has everyone had a moment to calm down and realize that he was actually right?

:tweet: @SWhyno: Barry Trotz on Kevin Shattenkirk: "I think everybody thought of him as a 1-2, and he really wasn't. He was a little lower.”

Shattenkirk is an incredible offensive player, but as ClearedForContact’s own Mike Valvano has pointed out on more than one occasion over the course of this season, dating back to the weeks before he was signed, his game lacks the full 200 feet required to rank him among the game’s greats. There’s simply no squaring the fact that none of his NHL coaches have ever played him with a defensive zone start percentage higher than 45%. That fact can’t just be swept under the rug because of his elite power play numbers.

He’s still worth every penny to the Rangers, but there’s a reason he’s played the majority of this season not on the Rangers’ top defensive pairing. It’s the same one Trotz recognized pretty quickly after his arrival in Washington.

—

Other topics in this week’s Quick Hits: NHL expansion to Seattle, the Rangers really miss Mika Zibanejad on the power play, and more.

“You get a fortuitous bounce, but you keep playing the right way, you don’t force things and don’t try go try to do it all by yourself. That’s what we talked about the whole game, and a great example of us just sticking with it.”

– Ryan McDonagh on Tuesday's win in Pittsburgh

]]>New York RangersHigh and Widehttp://www.blueshirtsbrotherhood.com/showthread.php?19790-RS-(-28)-Rangers-at-Washington-Capitals-Drain-the-SwampJames Dolan Named in New Harvey Weinstein Suithttp://www.blueshirtsbrotherhood.com/showthread.php?19786-James-Dolan-Named-in-New-Harvey-Weinstein-Suit&goto=newpost
Wed, 06 Dec 2017 21:12:39 GMTKnicks Owner James Dolan Named in New Harvey Weinstein Suit
...Knicks Owner James Dolan Named in New Harvey Weinstein Suit

James Dolan, a former director of the Weinstein Company and current owner of the New York Knicks and Rangers, is named as a defendant in a new class-action lawsuit filed Wednesday against Harvey Weinstein and his production company. According to the six plaintiffs, Dolan knew of “Weinstein’s pattern and practice of predatory sexual conduct toward women from his personal relationship with Weinstein and his position as a director” of the company. The federal suit goes after Weinstein and his cohorts on grounds of racketeering, civil battery, assault, and intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress.

]]>New York Rangersjoshhttp://www.blueshirtsbrotherhood.com/showthread.php?19786-James-Dolan-Named-in-New-Harvey-Weinstein-SuitCould John Tavares Land On Broadway In 2018?http://www.blueshirtsbrotherhood.com/showthread.php?19785-Could-John-Tavares-Land-On-Broadway-In-2018&goto=newpost
Wed, 06 Dec 2017 17:01:04 GMT---Quote---
Why it could work
The Rangers have enough cap space to sign two John Tavareses next summer. With Mika Zibanejad coming into his own and...

Quote:

Why it could work
The Rangers have enough cap space to sign two John Tavareses next summer. With Mika Zibanejad coming into his own and blue-chip prospect Filip Chytil on the way, New York would be stacked at center, which is currently a position of need. The Rangers have enough veterans to "win now" and enough young players for the future to remain bright. Tavares would remain in New York, where he has lived for a decade. And we're pretty sure the Rangers will have an arena for him to play in.

http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/sto...e-agent-market
]]>New York RangersRichieNextel305http://www.blueshirtsbrotherhood.com/showthread.php?19785-Could-John-Tavares-Land-On-Broadway-In-2018Marek Mazanec on Waivers; to Sign with Rangershttp://www.blueshirtsbrotherhood.com/showthread.php?19780-Marek-Mazanec-on-Waivers-to-Sign-with-Rangers&goto=newpost
Tue, 05 Dec 2017 17:31:26 GMTAccording to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the New York Rangers have placed G Marek Mazanec on waivers with the intent to sign him.

:tweet: @FriedgeHNIC: NYR have Marek Mazanec on waivers, which means he is signing with them and likely going to AHL

Mazanec, last under contract with the Nashville Predators, terminated his deal this summer to pursue an opportunity in the KHL with HC Slovan Bratislava.

“In my opinion, the Penguins are still the team to beat coming off their two Cup wins. Washington may not have all the firepower they’ve had the last number of years, but I think they’re playing a little bit of a hungrier game. And the Devils are a very strong team we are going to have to worry about all year.”

– Kevin Shattenkirk on playing in a tough division.

]]>New York RangersHigh and Widehttp://www.blueshirtsbrotherhood.com/showthread.php?19779-RS-(-27)-Rangers-at-Pittsburgh-Penguins-Oh-look-another-backup-goaliehttp://www.blueshirtsbrotherhood.com/showthread.php?19778-tonight-s-game&goto=newpost
Tue, 05 Dec 2017 13:04:21 GMTGo Rangers-----Beat Pitts.Go Rangers-----Beat Pitts.
]]>New York RangersLONG TIME FANhttp://www.blueshirtsbrotherhood.com/showthread.php?19778-tonight-s-gameQuick Hits: Things Are Looking Up for Rangershttp://www.blueshirtsbrotherhood.com/showthread.php?19777-Quick-Hits-Things-Are-Looking-Up-for-Rangers&goto=newpost
Sun, 03 Dec 2017 05:12:46 GMT*Trending Up*
7-3-0 in their last ten games, the Rangers have dramatically improved from their nearly season-crashing poor start. They have 35...Trending Up

7-3-0 in their last ten games, the Rangers have dramatically improved from their nearly season-crashing poor start. They have 35 goals for and a plus-11 goal differential in that span. There’s still work to do, but through 26 games this season, if we’ve learned nothing else we know that there’s no game scenario they can’t compete in.

—

Shooting Gallery

Three goals on six shots—including a dagger given up to nine-games-a-Ranger Micheal Haley—was all it took to earn Lundqvist an embarrassing yank in the first period against the Panthers on Tuesday night. No doubt, it was an off night for The King. If John Tortorella were still coaching, perhaps there’d even have been some scurrilous talk of the “50-percent rule”? On that night, a spade was definitely a spade.

—

A Bump for Buch?

Is anyone else just a bit perplexed by the ice time Pavel Buchnevich—four points in his last five games, and eight in his last ten—is averaging of late? In his last ten games, he’s yet to play more than 18 minutes in a single game. Inarguably one of the team’s top scoring forwards this season, he’s averaged just 14:14 over the same span. At some point that has to increase given how important his line with team-leading scorer Mika Zibanejad and third-highest goal-scorer Chris Kreider is, no?

—

Other topics in this week’s Quick Hits: the overwhelming support for Brian Boyle through Hockey Fights Cancer month, Derek Dorsett’s sudden retirement, Peter Holland, Todd McLellan and the Edmonton media, and more.

“It’s a huge lesson for us tonight. Not only a better start again, more so when you come back in a game at home, with a minute left — these are games you’ve got to take at least one point from.”

– Rick Nash on Tuesday's loss to the Panthers

]]>New York RangersHigh and Widehttp://www.blueshirtsbrotherhood.com/showthread.php?19776-RS-(-26)-Rangers-vs-Carolina-Hurricanes-Here-They-Are-Rock-em-Like-A-Hurricanehttp://www.blueshirtsbrotherhood.com/showthread.php?19775-Michael-Grabner-–-What-s-the-Cost-of-a-Unicorn&goto=newpost
Fri, 01 Dec 2017 02:58:23 GMTKristaps Porzingis, the 7’ 3” Latvian who has quickly ascended into the face of the New York Knicks isn’t the city’s only Unicorn. He’s not even the...Kristaps Porzingis, the 7’ 3” Latvian who has quickly ascended into the face of the New York Knicks isn’t the city’s only Unicorn. He’s not even the only one who calls Madison Square Garden home. In the truest sense of the Unicorn moniker, Grabner’s production against his contract and expectations makes him truly unique in the league. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, for general manager Jeff Gorton, that’s going to make evaluating the 30-year-old’s next contract awfully difficult.

—

Penalty killers, even the best of them, can be justified with a contract similar to the one Grabner currently has. Paul Byron, who sees almost the same SH TOI/GP as Grabner, makes slightly less but was signed without the same scoring upside. Even though he scored 22 goals last season, Byron’s contract is a good example of what a fleet-footed penalty killer can get as a free agent.

Grabner, however, is more than just a penalty killer in his current form. In fact, since the start of last season, Grabner’s scoring ranks among the elite. In the almost unfathomable context of bottom-six time on ice, he ranks sixth in goals per 60 minutes (1.57). Even more startlingly, he does it without any powerplay time. His 36 goals rank just outside the top 30 (tied with Jamie Benn), but he’s fifth in even-strength goals with 36. That’s more than Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, the Patty’s Kane and Laine, and many of the forwards who come to mind before Grabner when we think of elite NHL scorers.

Of the top-75 players with the most goals since the start of last year, Grabner is the only player with none on the powerplay. Byron, who has 27 total goals, is the only other player in the top-100. Additionally, Grabner, who doesn’t see any ice on the power play and averages just 14:05 per night, is the only player with more than 25 goals in that time who averages less than 15:00 per night.

This is unicorn-level production. A top-five scorer who plays bottom-six minutes without a comparable in the league. Boy does that make guessing at his next contract a lot of fun!

Read more
]]>New York RangersClearedForContacthttp://www.blueshirtsbrotherhood.com/showthread.php?19775-Michael-Grabner-–-What-s-the-Cost-of-a-UnicornSlats Vindicated: Callahan Four Years Onhttp://www.blueshirtsbrotherhood.com/showthread.php?19774-Slats-Vindicated-Callahan-Four-Years-On&goto=newpost
Thu, 30 Nov 2017 19:19:20 GMTSlats sure made his share of bad moves, but let's give him credit for not giving Cally a six year $6m plus contract. At the time, the future for Cally was quite predictable: maybe one good year, a couple of injury plagued years, and about three years as a fourth liner nowhere near his peak. We're in year four now of his Tampa contract and that's precisely how it has turned out. He's at 24 GP, 1 goal 4 assists. He's probably doing a nice job in a small role.

Without opening up an endlessly discussed point, I still wouldn't have traded him. They didn't get more for him than he would have been worth for the rest of that season (it took two First Round picks on top of him to get a 39 year old player!). I'm sure I'm not the only one who watched Marty against the big LA team in the finals and thought "I'd sure rather have Cally for this series."
]]>New York RangersSod16http://www.blueshirtsbrotherhood.com/showthread.php?19774-Slats-Vindicated-Callahan-Four-Years-On